Daf 142b (דַּף קמ״ב ע״ב)

In His sides (בְּסִטְרוֹי), they were spread into the arms and into the thighs (אִתְפָּרְשָׁן בִּדְרוֹעִין, בַּשׁוֹקִין). The arms of the male (דְּרוֹעִין דִּדְכוּרָא): one right (חַד יְמִינָא), one left—an early arm, Some say: holy (חַד שְׂמָאלָא דְּרוֹעָא קַדְמָאָה [נ״א: קַדִּישָׁא]). Three knots are bound in it (תְּלַת קִשְׁרִין אִתְקָשָּׁרוּ בֵּיהּ), and they are included in the two arms (וְאִתְכְּלִילוּ בּ׳ דְּרוֹעִין). And if you would think they are included as one (וְאִתְכְּלִילוּ סַלְּקָא דַּעְתָּךְ), rather say: three knots in the right and three knots in the left (אֶלָּא ג׳ קִשְׁרִין בִּימִינָא, וְג׳ קִשְׁרִין בִּשְׂמָאלָא). The three knots of the right (ג׳ קִשְׁרִין דִּימִינָא) are included in the three knots of the left (אִתְכְּלִילָן בְּג׳ קִשְׁרִין דִּשְׂמָאלָא). And because of this (וּבְגִין כָּךְ), the word “arm” is written only once (דְּרוֹעָא לָא כְּתִיב אֶלָּא חַד). But with the right it is not written “arm” (אֲבָל יְמִינָא, לָא כְּתִיב בֵּיהּ זְרוֹעַ), but “Your right hand, Hashem” (אֶלָּא יְמִינְךָ יְיָ) (Exodus 15), and “The right hand of Hashem is exalted” (יְמִין יְיָ אִתְקְרֵי) (Psalms 118). With the three knots of the Fathers, who strengthened their portions (בְּג׳ קִשְׁרִין דַּאֲבָהָתָא דְּאַחֲסִינוּ לְחוּלָקֵיהוֹן).

And if you say (וְאִי תֵּימָא): behold, in the three cavities of the skull the brain is found (הָא בִּתְלַת חֲלָלִין מוֹחָא דְּגוּלְגַּלְתָּא מִשְׁתַּכְּחִין). It was taught (תָּאנָא): all three spread (כֻּלְּהוּ ג׳ מִתְפַּשְּׁטִין), and are bound into the whole body (וּמִתְקַשְּׁרָן בְּכָל גּוּפָא), and the whole body is bound in these three (וְכָל גּוּפָא אִתְקְשַׁר בְּהָנֵי תְּלַת), and they are bound in the right arm (וּמִתְקַשְּׁרָן בִּדְרוֹעָא יְמִינָא). And because of this David desired and said (וּבְגִין כַּךְ תָּאִיב דָּוִד וְאָמַר): “Sit at My right hand” (שֵׁב לִימִינִי) (Psalms 110), because he joined with the Fathers (מִשּׁוּם דְּהוּא אִתְחַבָּר עִמְּהוֹן דַּאֲבָהָתָא), and sat there upon the complete throne (וְיָתִיב תַּמָּן לְכוּרְסְיָא שְׁלֵימָתָא). And because of this it is written (וּבְגִין כַּךְ כְּתִיב): “The stone which the builders rejected” etc. (אֶבֶן מָאֲסוּ הַבּוֹנִים וְגו׳) (Psalms 118), because he sat at the right (מִשּׁוּם דְּיָתִיב לִימִינָא). This is what is written (הַיְינוּ דִּכְתִיב): “and you shall rest, and stand in your lot at the end of days” (וְתָנוּחַ וְתַעֲמוֹד לְגוֹרָלְךָ לְקֵץ הַיָּמִין) (Daniel 12), meaning, like one who merited the love of the King (כְּלוֹמַר, כְּמַאן דְּזָכֵי לַחֲבִיבוּתָא דְּמַלְכָּא).

Happy is his portion (זַכָּאָה חוּלָּקֵיהּ), he who is separated to the King’s right (דְּמַאן דְּפָרִישׂ מַלְכָּא יְמִינֵיהּ), and receives him beneath His right hand (וְקָבִּיל לֵיהּ תְּחוֹת יְמִינֵיהּ). And this right hand, when it sits (וְהַאי יְמִינָא כַּד יְתִיב), the knots are spread (קִשְׁרִין אִתְפַּשְּׁטָא). And the arm does not stretch out its hand (וּדְרוֹעָא לָא אוֹשִׁיט יְדֵיהּ), Some say: “and the knots did not spread and the arm did not stretch but sat” (נ״א: וְקַשְׁרִין לָא אִתְפַּשְּׁטוּ וְדְרוֹעָא לָא אוֹשִׁיט יְתִיב), in the three knots that we said (בִּתְלַת קְשִׁירִין דְּאַמָרָן). And when the guilty are aroused (וְכַד מִתְעָרִין חַיָּיבַיָּא), and they spread in the world (וּמִתְפַּשְּׁטָן בְּעָלְמָא), three others are aroused (מִתְעָרִין תְּלַת אַחֲרָנִין), which are harsh judgment (דְּאִינּוּן דִּינָא קַשְׁיָא). And the arm stretches out (וְאוֹשִׁיט דְּרוֹעָא), and when the arm stretches out (וְכַד אוֹשִׁיט דְּרוֹעָא), it is the right hand (יַד יְמִינָא הוּא), but it is called “the arm of Hashem” (אֲבָל אִתְקְרֵי זְרוֹעַ יְיָ) (Isaiah 51), “Your outstretched arm” (זְרוֹעֲךָ הַנְטוּיָה) (Deuteronomy 9). (Some say: three knots were bound in it (נ״א: תְּלַת קִשְׁרִין אִתְקַשְּׁרוּ בֵּיהּ), and were included three knots of the right and three knots of the left (וְאִתְכְּלִילוּ תְּלַת קִשְׁרִין דְּיְמִינָא וְתְּלַת קִשְׁרִין דִּשְׂמָאלָא), in the three knots of the Fathers who strengthened their portions (בְּג׳ קִשְׁרִין דַּאֲבָהָתָא דְּאַחֲסִינוּ לְחוּלָּקֵיהוֹן).

And if you say (וְאִי תֵּימָא): behold, in the three cavities of the skull the brain is found (הָא בִּתְלַת חֲלָלִין מוֹחָא דְּגוּלְגַּלְתָּא מִשְׁתַּכְּחִין). It was taught (תָּאנָא): all three spread (כֻּלְּהוּ ג׳ מִתְפַּשְּׁטִין), and are bound in the whole body (וּמִתְקַשְּׁרָן בְּכָל גּוּפָא), and the whole body is bound in these three (וְכָל גּוּפָא אִתְקְשַׁר בְּהָנֵי תְּלַת), and they are bound in the right arm (וּמִתְקַשְּׁרָן בִּדְרוֹעָא יְמִינָא). And this right, when it sits (וְהַאי יְמִינָא כַּד יְתִיב), the knots did not spread and the arm did not stretch, but sat, in the three knots that we said ([קַשְׁרִין לָא אִתְפַּשְּׁטוּ וְדְרוֹעָא לָא אוֹשִׁיט וִיתִיב] בִּתְלַת קִשְׁרִין דַּאֲמַרְנָא). And when the guilty are aroused (וְכַד חַיָּיבַיָּא מִתְעָרִין), three others are aroused (מִתְעָרִין תְּלַת אַחֲרָנִין), which are harsh judgment (דְּאִינּוּן דִּינָא קַשְׁיָא), and the arm stretches out (וְאוֹשִׁיט דְּרוֹעָא), and it is called the arm of Hashem, “Your outstretched arm” (וְאִתְקְרֵי זְרוֹעַ יְיָ, זְרוֹעֲךָ הַנְטוּיָה).

At the time when these three are included in those three (בְּזִמְנָא דְּג׳ אִלֵין אִתְכְּלִילָן בְּג׳ אַחֲרָנִין), all is called the right (אִקְרֵי כֹּלָּא יְמִינָא), and judgment is performed with mercy (וְעָבִיד דִּינָא בְּרַחֲמֵי). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב): “Your right hand, Hashem, is glorious in power; Your right hand, Hashem, crushes the enemy” (יְמִינְךָ יְיָ נֶאְדָּרִי בַּכֹּחַ, יְמִינְךָ יְיָ תִּרְעַץ אוֹיֵב) (Exodus 15), because mercy is aroused in them (בְּגִין דְּמִתְעֲרִן רַחֲמֵי בְּהוּ).

And it was taught (וְתָאנָא): in this right hand are united three hundred and seventy thousand myriads, which are called the right (בְּהַאי יְמִינָא מִתְאַחֲדָן תְּלַת מְאָה וְשִׁבְעִין אֶלֶף רִבּוֹא, דְּאִקְרוּן יְמִינָא). And one hundred and eighty-five thousand myriads, from the arm that is called “the arm of Hashem” (וּמְאָה וְתִמְנִין וַחֲמִשָּׁה אֶלֶף רִבּוֹא, מִזְּרוֹעַ דְּאִקְרֵי זְרוֹעַ יְיָ). From this and from that the arm depends (מֵהַאי וּמֵהַאי תַּלְיָיא זְרוֹעָא), and this and that are called Tiferet (וְהַאי וְהַאי אִקְרֵי תִּפְאֶרֶת). As it is written (דִּכְתִיב): “who caused His glorious arm to go at the right hand of Moshe” (מוֹלִיךְ לִימִין מֹשֶׁה, הָא יְמִינָא. זְרוֹעַ, הָא שְׂמָאלָא) (Isaiah 63). As it is written (דִּכְתִיב): “the arm of His Tiferet” (זְרוֹעַ תִּפְאַרְתּוֹ) (Isaiah 63)—this one with that one (דָּא בְּדָא).

It was taught (וְתָאנָא), in the left hand (בִּידָא שְׂמָאלָא), are united four hundred and fifty myriads of masters of shields (מִתְאַחֲדָן אַרְבַּע מְאָה וְחַמְשִׁין רִבּוֹא מָארֵי תְּרִיסִין), united in every finger (מִתְאַחֲדָן בְּכָל אֶצְבְּעָא), and in every finger are found ten thousand masters of shields (וְבְכָל אֶצְבְּעָא וְאֶצְבְּעָא עֶשֶׂר אַלְפִין מָארֵי תְּרִיסִין מִשְׁתַּכְּחִין). Go out and calculate, how many are in the hand (פּוּק וַחֲשׁוֹב, כַּמָה אִינּוּן דְּבִידָא). And that right is called the holy support (וְהַהוּא יְמִינָא אִקְרֵי סִיּוּעָא קַדִּישָׁא), that comes from the right arm (דְּאָתִי מִדְּרוֹעָא דִּימִינָא), from the three knots (מִתְּלַת קִשְׁרִין). And even though it is called “hand” (וְאַף עַל גַּב דְּאַקְרֵי יַד), it is support (הֲוֵי סִיּוּעָא), as it is written (דִּכְתִיב): “And behold, my hand is with you” (וְהִנֵּה יָדִי עִמָּךְ) (II Samuel 3).

And from here are united one thousand and four myriads, and eight, and five hundred thousand masters of supports in all the world (וּמִתְאַחֲדָן מֵהַאי, אֶלֶף וְאַרְבַּע רִבּוֹא, וּתְמַנְיָא, וְחָמֵשׁ מְאָה אַלְפִין מָארֵיהוֹן דְּסִיּוּעִין בְּכָל עָלְמָא). And they are called the upper hand of Hashem and the lower hand of Hashem (וְאִקְרוּן יַד יְיָ עִלָּאָה. יַד יְיָ תַּתָּאָה). And even though in every place “the hand of Hashem” is the left (וְאַף עַל גַּב דִּבְכָל אֲתָר יַד יְיָ שְׂמָאלָא), when they merit, the right hand of Hashem is included in the arm (זָכוּ יְמִין יְיָ, אִתְכְּלִיל יְדָא בִּזְרוֹעָא), and it becomes support (וַהֲוִי סִיּוּעָא), and is called “right” (וְאִקְרֵי יָמִין). And if not, the lower hand of Hashem (וְאִי לָאו, יַד יְיָ תַּתָּאָה). It was taught (תָּאנָא): when harsh judgments are aroused to descend into the world (כַּד מִתְעָרִין דִּינִין קַשְׁיָין לְאַחֲתָא בְּעָלְמָא), here it is written: “The secret of Hashem is to those who fear Him” (הָכָא כְּתִיב, סוֹד יְיָ לִירֵאָיו) (Psalms 25).

And it was taught in the Concealed Book (וְתָאנָא בִּצְנִיעוּתָא דְּסִפְרָא): all judgments that are found from the male (דְּכָל דִּינִין דְּמִשְׁתַּכְחִין מִדְּכוּרָא) are strong at the beginning (תַּקִּיפִין בְּרֵישָׁא) and soft at the end (וְנַיְיחִין בְּסוֹפָא). And all judgments that are found from the Nukvah (וְכָל דִּינִין דְּמִשְׁתַּכְחִין מִנּוּקְבָּא) are soft at the beginning (נַיְיחִין בְּרֵישָׁא) and strong at the end (וְתַקִּיפִין בְּסוֹפָא). And if they had not been made together as one (וְאִלְמָלֵא דְּאִתְעָבֵידוּ כַּחֲדָא), the world could not endure them (לָא יַכְלִין עָלְמָא לְמִסְבַּל).

Until Atik of Atikin, hidden of all (עַד דְּעַתִּיק דְּעַתִּיקֵי סְתִימָא דְּכֹלָּא), separated this one from that one (פָּרִישׁ דָּא מִן דָּא), and joined them to be sweetened together as one (וְחָבַר לוֹן לְאִתְבַּסְּמָא כַּחֲדָא). And when He separated them (וְכַד פָּרִישׁ לוֹן), He cast a slumber upon Ze’ir Anpin (אָפִיל דּוּרְמִיטָא לִזְעֵיר אַפִּין), and separated the Nukvah from His back, from His side (וּפָרִישׂ לְנוּקְבָּא מֵאֲחוֹרוֹי דְּסִטְרוֹי), and prepared for her all her adornments (וְאַתְקִין לָהּ כָּל תִּקּוּנָהָא), and concealed her until her day, to be brought to the male (וְאַצְנְעָא לְיוֹמָא דִּילֵיהּ, לְמֵיתָהָא לִדְכוּרָא). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): “And Hashem Elohim caused a deep sleep to fall upon the Adam, and he slept” (וַיַּפֵּל יְיָ אֱלֹהִים תַּרְדֵּמָה עַל הָאָדָם וַיִּישָׁן) (Bereshit 2).

What is “and he slept” (מַהוּ וַיִּישָׁן)? This is what is written (הַאי הוּא דִכְתִיב): “Awake, why do You sleep, Hashem” (עוּרָה לָמָּה תִּישָׁן יְיָ) (Psalms 44). “And He took one of his sides” (וַיִּקַּח אַחַת מִצַּלְעוֹתָיו) (Bereshit 2). What is “one” (מַאי אַחַת)? This is the Nukvah (דָּא הִיא נוּקְבָּא). As you say (כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמֵר): “One is my dove, my perfect one” (אַחַת הִיא יוֹנָתִי תַמָּתִי) (Song of Songs 6). And she ascended and was rectified (וְסַלְּקָא, וְאִתְתַּקְנָא). And in her place were planted mercy and Chesed (וּבְאַתְרָהָא שְׁקִיעַ רַחֲמֵי וְחֶסֶד). This is what is written (הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב): “And He closed up flesh in her stead” (וַיִסְגוֹר בָּשָׂר תַּחְתֶּנָּה) (Bereshit 2). And it is written (וּכְתִיב): “And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh” (וַהֲסִירוֹתִי אֶת לֵב הָאֶבֶן מִבְּשַׂרְכֶם וְנָתַתִּי לָכֶם לֵב בָּשָׂר) (Ezekiel 36).